Improvement in dental fillings



-C; E. BLAKE.

Dental-Fillings.

Patented Dec. 9.1873.

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UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

CHARLES E. BLAKE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DENTAL FILLINGS Speccation forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,275, dated December 9, 1873; application filed October 4, 1873.

most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

It is universally agreed among dentists that gold is preferable to all other known substances or metals for lling and restoring decayed teeth. Many persons, however, object to the use of gold for iilling or restoring front teeth,

because the point repaired is rendered so prominent by the glare or luster of the gold. The object of my invention is to obviate this diioulty by providing a means of toning down, changing, or destroying the natural bright color of the gold, and substituting therefor a color more nearly approximating to the color of the adjoining teeth. The substance or material which I use in order to accomplish this is the metal platinum, which is applied in the following manner: Y

In the accompanying drawing, A is the tooth 5 B, the gold filling; and C, the platinum coating.

After the tooth has been filled or built out with ordinary gold to its natural form, or to that extent which the operator deems most desirable, leaving the front or exposed surface evenly faced to the edge or margin of the enamel, I take a piece of annealed platinumleaf which has previously been plated on its exterior surface with pure gold, (1000. f1ne,) and place it on the gold-surface. With proper instruments the platinum can, by the usual manipulation and pressure, be made to adhere and form a perfect coating over the exposed gold. A sufficient number of layers of this prepared platinum can be added until the exposed portion of the filling has been finished with a durable white or glary surface.

Any desirable shade or color can thus be obtained between a white and yellow, or a greenish tint or pale gold color can be given to the filling, according to the thickness of the platinum coat, thus neutralizing that luster so prominent in pure gold, and giving a uniformity of shade, according to the color of the natural teeth.

I do not confine myself to the use of platinum alone; but

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A filling for teeth consisting of the usual base covered with a stratum of platinum or other metal approximating to the color of the enamel of the teeth, as set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

CHARLES E. BLAKE.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. BOONE, C. M. RICHARDSON. 

